Speakers

The classic wood veneer styling captures your attention immediately. But it's not until you read the cutting list of what's been included in the Bush Heritage II Connect radio that you truly appreciate what you're getting.

The two defining characteristics of the second generation SoundLink Mini is its small size and its big sound. Bose has a reputation for fantastic music and this Bluetooth speaker makes it possible to take it with you on the go.

The largest of Panasonic’s multi-room speakers is the SC-ALL8. It’s not an altogether unattractive speaker, and because it’s wireless except for its power cable, it can be situated anywhere in the home that’s within range of a power outlet. However, it’s not enough for a speaker to look good and be convenient to place; it needs to sound good, too, and this is an area where the SC-ALL8 doesn’t really shine.

BenQ is not the first brand (or perhaps even the twentieth) that you’ll think of turning to for a high-quality Bluetooth speaker, but the company has introduced a portable speaker that’s different from the norm, and quite an interesting proposition. The treVolo makes use of electrostatic speaker drivers that can produce sound both in front and behind the listening position.

Ultimate Ears has a strong professional audio pedigree, but was perhaps not so well known among other brands in the consumer market. That all changed last year with the launch of the UE Boom wireless speaker -- a classic marriage of good design, excellent usability, waterproofing and some phenomenal sound for the size and price.

Across Samsung’s entire television and audio range was one clear trend. Televisions, computer monitors, sound bars and even sound systems from Samsung will all curve on the basis of improved performance.

What’s great about the Lenco PlayLink6 is that it can function either as a Bluetooth speaker on its own standing, or form part of a multi-speaker, multi-room system in Lenco’s ecosystem. It’s the model above the PlayLink4 that we have already reviewed, and it can put out a bigger sound than that speaker, with the aim of filling a large room.

Lenco's PlayLink4 is a small, portable, and versatile speaker that can serve a few different functions. It can be used as a Bluetooth speaker, as part of a multi-room speaker system, and it can be placed and listened to anywhere in and around your home if you have a battery for it.

Prestige audio brand Bowers & Wilkins has focused on the basics with its first Bluetooth speaker, the T7. Outstanding battery life and class-leading sound are its hallmarks, though the tight focus has meant features that typically make Bluetooth speakers versatile could not make the cut.

The Bose SoundTouch Portable Series II is a speaker that’s designed to be integrated into your wireless network, rather than connect to a device directly using Bluetooth. It’s a portable speaker, it can work in a multi-room environment with other speakers, and it doesn’t shun physical controls. Most impressive, though, is its sound quality: it can produce a boom and fill a room.

We're not ones to judge what is and isn't art, and it’s up for debate whether Harman/Kardon’s Aura wireless speaker qualifies for such a distinction. Regardless, it would make for an interesting addition to any contemporary living space. It has a captivating look that isn't typical of a wireless speaker, instead giving hints that it's perhaps some sort of machine that's about to start rotating, rather than a device that's about to produce sound waves to soothe your ears.

If you own a Sonos multi-room audio system but have trouble with dead spots, Sonos has good news for you: The all-new Sonos Boost is a high-power signal amplifier that promises to extend the range of a proprietary Sonos network by 50 percent.

Logitech has released a new wireless speaker compatible with smartphones, tablets and computers. The UE Mini Boom crams a lot of new technology, like NFC and modular pairing, into its small, affordable price-tag.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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